Leading telecom firm Vodafone along with BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) today launched

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the new version of the Storm2 smartphone in seven European countries as well as South Africa.

The second generation of RIM's touch-screen smartphone, the BlackBerry Storm2, lets customers stay easily connected to people, places and things that matter most.

The launch is scheduled with an eye on the ensuing festival season ahead of Christmas.

"In the busy holiday gift buying period, customers in the UK and Ireland will be able to get the new smartphone first through Vodafone," the company said in a regulatory filing with the London Stock Exchange.

The pricing would be announced by the individual in-country operating companies.

The Storm2 smartphone would be offered exclusively by Vodafone in Germany, Netherlands and Spain, and would also be made available in France, Italy and South Africa in time for Christmas.

"The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry OS 5 evolves the BlackBerry touch-screen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements," the company added.